Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of BiOBr/ZnO Heterojunction Semiconductors Prepared by Facile Hydrothermal Method

• DOI: 10.1155/2015/747024
• Publication Date: 2015-05-13T17:08:48Z
• Authors: Xiangchao Meng; Lingyun Jiang; Weiwen Wang; Zisheng Zhang
• Keywords: Wurtzite crystal structure; Rhodamine B

Hexagonal wurtzite pure ZnO and BiOBr-ZnO composites were synthesized by facile hydrothermal method. The amount of BiOBr as dopant was adjusted from 5 wt.% to 75 wt.%, correspondingly the morphologies crystal structures as-prepared measured discussed. Specifically, according XRD patterns SEM images, main crystalline structure not destroyed after doping, but growth crystals inhibited doping BiOBr. Meanwhile, optical properties diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). band gap also calculated using classical Tauc equation it found be around 3.0 eV. In test photocatalytic activation, ZnO-BiOBr photocatalysts exhibited high efficiencies in degradation Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation. It ascribed only small size crystalline, reduction recombination rate photogenerated carriers for enhancement effect p-n heterojunction. This work sheds light on improving performance establishing heterojunction contributes development a commercially competitive photocatalyst.